Paul Roberts

Oh, man... I had a fishin' dog. Someday I'll tell of those stories. She was something else.

Our UPS driver, Lonnie. I'm tempted to order things just to talk hunting and fishing with him. He's "done the work". We may actually get out one of these days.

Lotsa people think they can do that. Too many, in fact.

I've been known to beat a dead horse, a few too many times.

Ditto! Waters change, a lot. Helps to keep tabs on them. That's pretty much what guides do. To best stay with a given water body, I often pick just a few waters to concentrate on for a given season. I also keep, and use, my fishing journals. They really do help get me in the ballpark, if I haven't been to a given water in a while.

Clear water fish can have a tougher time adjusting to turbidity than those that are used to it. And, yeah, year classes can come and go. Some waters are pretty consistent though. Waters that are healthy and diverse in structure and cover -esp larger waters as there's simply more space to make livings- are more apt to remain consistent. Overly fertile waters with poorer habitat diversity are at greater risk of fluctuations. Such waters that are small and shallow can result in boom-n-bust fishing, bc of winterkill, summerkill, or fluctuations in vegetation density. Too little cover, and bass can eat themselves out of house and home. Too much cover, and prey can become difficult to catch. I've seen both, although, even in the same pond. Oh, one thing about big fish... it's been suggested that waters of about 2000 acres and up are more apt to produce catchable numbers of big bass. Apparently, it's a habitat volume thing. Not to say that smaller waters don't produce big fish, as we all know. And individually speaking, big fish are likely more vulnerable to being caught than in big waters, again on a per individual basis. So... small ponds can be worth hitting, esp if no one else fishes them. Good luck. And let us know how things pan out. Always fun to peek over into other's fisheries. Sounds like cabin fever is hitting already. I think we're all in the wistful, psyched, can't wait phase. Things can get ugly by late winter. Keep smilin' all.

Another good thread! Since my primary focus has been on documenting bass behavior, I choose my waters for different -and often very specific- reasons than most fisherman do, or would. Yet, the tack is exactly the same as I use in my fishing. I have to prioritize. For just one example, I've spent large amounts of time over the last couple of years documenting the lives of young-of-the-year bass. That gets darn challenging by the time I'm shooting under ice cover, when YOY bass seem to vanish. But, just like any other "fishing", I first choose a water body that gives me the best probabilities for success, for what it is I want. Nothing will set you up for demoralization more consistently than going in clueless. So... Prioritize! What do you want to get out of your fishing? You are lucky. But like having too many tackle boxes, there's such thing as too much of a good thing for satisfaction, or sanity's, sake. Prioritize! Big fish? Not all waters have quality in the quantity that makes them likely to be caught consistently. Take that energy and start hitting waters. When you find such a place, you'll know. Size structure of the popn will matter, and I see two tacks: -If you can take the pain, fishing large lures at prime times for the rare individuals could be pretty cool; It you can take the down-time. This is more effective/likely the further south in the latitudes you live. -Find a water with a strong older age class. I have waters that I can expect to catch more than one top-end fish just fishing regular stuff. Such situations can come and go though. Numbers of decent fish? I track year classes. When I find a good pond with numbers of bass in a certain size bracket, and knowing the average growth rates for bass here, I'll re-visit it in future years to see how that year class is holding up. Sometimes they crash, other times I can have a pond full of decent healthy bass. They may even get "big". Versatility? Not all lures, techniques, methods, work everywhere. So... where do each shine? Getting to recognize such habitats, then applying the right stuff, is the best way to expand your versatility. Interestingly, such varying "habitats" can be found in a single water body, even really small waters. If there is a certain side of a pond you just don't catch fish out of, this may not mean there are no fish using that area. It could be that you are trying to force a square peg into a star-shaped hole. Aesthetics? If my wife is going, the place better be "special". I can fish in a sewer hole. Although I appreciate "beauty" -my parents were artists; my dad a landscape painter- the beauty inherent in sheer fascination exists under the water for me. Travel Distance? I've got responsibilities outside of my time on the water. So, I prefer not to burn that precious time sitting in a truck. Bottom line: Prioritize, young man!! Life is short. But it gets stretched out wonderously when you are on the water. I think it's been said that for every hour you spend on the water, or in nature, two are added to your life span. So... prioritize! Don't know about you, but my goal is to live forever.

LOL! Hey, that skill just might come in handy some day... Last winter I was shooting under-ice video. (Btw, the bass ain't comin' up!) Early in the season when the ice was thin, I'd break through the ice with the camera, mounted on a pole. Well, there's a point where the ice gets too thick. And I now know that point. Doh! The mount broke and the GoPro skidded out across the ice, too far to reach with the pole. The ice began to cave as I tried to step out. I was about to do the belly crawl thing, still not sure the ice would hold me (the truck was right there to save me from hypothermia if needed). But a buddy just happened to stop by -a die-hard regular- to fish the only opening in the ice remaining. Now that's die-hard. He cast a jerkbait and managed to get a treble into the 1/4" hole in GoPro mount. Only took him three tries. @Troy85, that was funny. And... a little bit scary.

X2 Good thread!

Yes. It's one of those "2 and 2's" that... don't actually go together. Not to say that bass don't eat crayfish, esp in, or around, winter. But, and you are spot-on with your observation that LM's don't use "lips" (premaxilla) to capture crayfish. Apparently, smallmouth's ("smalljaws") do; That's why they have those short jaws in the first place. They give SM's greater mechanical advantage for much greater bite pressure than the longer jaws of LM's can. Smallmouths are more capable "biters", LM's more capable "suction" feeders. This has been borne out behaviorally too, in research on how both species capture crayfish. In my waters, my LMs are mainly piscivorous. And they get red premaxillary tooth pads (and some other locations) during winter, and no broken premax teeth. It seems, at this point, that the colder the water, the brighter the red.

Man... all worth your time. I guess I'd pick two, for specific reasons: -Jigs: If you were to pick one -even for the rest of your fishing days ahead- this would be it. Jigs are the best way, IMO, to learn the most significant fundamental part of presentation: depth and speed control. With jigs, the two become obviously inseparable. -Jerkbaits. Bc they suspend, they offer insights into the attraction and triggering aspects of presentation. You can, and must, do these with all lures. But, I think these two may just be the most obvious route there.

Nicely done report. Yes, there are two major pieces to winter fishing: finding them, and catching them. The last part can be esp tough too, bc it can be really hard to sl-o-o-o-o-w-w-w-w-w down enough to get them to commit. And you are right it's bc they "move so slowly". This may seem obvious, but all the UW video I've done really brings this point home. They look like they are swimming through molasses and, in fact, they nearly are. It takes time for them to register the bait, decide its worth "pursuing", and get there. (Although... they if they are appropriately primed in terms of register, they can move plenty quick in a short burst. But, apparently, that's an energetically costly move.) Nice red teeth shot. I've been following this in my fishing, along with some friends, and they can appear any time of year. But it's most frequent, and brilliant, during winter. In really cold water, below 40F, they can be just brilliant scarlet. I've got some hypotheses as to what's happening physiologically, but, found no research that specifically addresses it. Whatever it is, it's not due to crayfish -at least here on my waters. Great report.

Well, Dwight. Sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

Definitely not. Satisfying skills can be developed all kinds of ways. Inserting yourself into the food chain, and interacting with wild critters, is simply an awesome thing to do. That said, I fish artificials almost 100% of the time now. Gotta choose how to spend your precious fishing time.

$75 will give you lotsa options. As mentioned above, don't just look at "fishing" packs. Also as mentioned above, look at your stuff and decide the size main compartment(s) you'll need for tackle boxes, then front and side pockets for smaller items. ALSO shown above... laying out your stuff can help. I like a good front pocket for a number of really small items (thermometers, hones, small boxes, ...) so packs that are designed to hold pens, phones, etc... are what I look for. You can also go with a less complex pack, with fewer pockets, which will be a lot less expensive, and just put your stuff in separate boxes. The one I've been using was from REI. I just picked up another good one in a thrift store just yesterday, for $10.

Well.. I hope this makes you feel a little bit better... . You aren't entirely alone. Although... you will be bc I'm guessing Feb 12th for my ice-out! Yeah, it comes early here.

Yes! Fascinated by it. Which is good bc my catch rates fall off, esp in Mid-Winter. I keep track of my waters and follow ice-up and ice-out. In between, when I get safe ice (~4") I'm out shooting video under the ice.

Yeah, it's a great plug. One left! I've looked on e-bay some but they've been pretty pricey. I actually have one of those, but it's the... stable high speed version designed for trolling. I also have some Cordell shads, some Daiwa's, and some Salmo shads. They remain dry as long as the Ikes are still with me. I tend to pack the Ike's and a couple Shad Raps. Ditto the 1/4oz lipless. Lol... that's what I call the "Shad" style CBs: "Potato Chips" bc, my waters don't have many shad, and bc of the way they can "potato chip" against the wind, if I just throw them up in the air. If I release a touch later, they are more apt to "airfoil". I've also weighted some of my Shad-Raps to slow their rise, which helps a bit in the casting.

Yeah, mine are med runners. That's good to hear about the X-Rap Shads. I may grab a couple then. Yes, I have some Thinfin's, old and some newer ones. They were the original flat-side, "shad"-style CB. They were a favorite of mine once upon a time. They too are med runners.

Can't really help you there. My all time favorite is an old slow-rising, Tom Seward-designed Natural-Ike, that I "bluegill-ized". I only have 2 left! Most of what I have liked, besides the Shad-Rap, aren't made anymore. I've liked the X-Rap Shad (suspending) but... I don't see them out there either now. Got one of those left. I'm sure there are a lot of good flat-sides out there. I'm just not up on it. Still throwing the "old timers", that aren't really... all that old.

I think you are right, smalljaw67, that that's either palmered hen hackle, or marabou. Looks pretty darn soft, so I think it may be marabou. It's NOT likely saddle butts, as I had suggested -the most expensive of the three that could give that effect.

Keep at it, it'll click. Once you get it, it's really fast. But, everyone's different. Some people have a tougher time with certain things than others. I used to teach fly-tying. I'd even go to the big shows and teach one-on-one to literally hundreds of people, one after the other. Interesting thing was, it was impossible to tell who would have an easy time and who would be challenged. Worse comes to worse, you can always use half a dozen half-hitches. It's snowing pretty hard here now, so my man cave(s) are getting a going over too. And I have to buzz up some hair jigs myself. Cheers. Sounds like you've got a fun winter ahead.

Oh, great! You have a vice. I'm quick to say that tying really is easy... but there are a few things that make it much easier: -A vice. Doesn't need to be fancy. -Proper thread. For jigs you'll probably want 3/0 monocord for thread. 6/0 for tiny jigs. -And a whip finish tool is nice, if you are new to it. If you get one, get a "ball-bearing" type; I believe Matarelli came out with the first one. Now there are knockoffs. They aren't expensive. -Don't need "head cement", clear nail polish works fine. -Materials: You don't need to get too concerned about exact recipes. Nice to start with something you already have confidence in. Then you can tweak things. And start inventing our own. LOTS of things catch fish. Just bc someone else thought of something, doesn't make it holy. I've gleaned a lot of my favorite materials from fabric or hobby stores, hunting, roadkill, pets, ... small children... . You know the Ned-Rig craze? Small jigs of many types are just plain killers too, as you've discovered. You probably know about bucktail for winter hair jigs. Cake to tie, and just killer. But LOTs of things work. One of the very first I ever made -exactly 40 yrs ago now (hmmmm... hard to believe, actually, bc those memories are still fresh)- was a 1/32oz. scud tied from gray squirrel tail-base hairs (they are longer than body hairs and softer than tail hairs). I tied it, walked out the back door to the little creek behind my house, walked up to a little pool to get it wet, and caught a 17inch brown trout! It stayed in my bathtub until my dad got home to see it. I extended that scud in length to come up with a crayfish pattern that, to this day, is one of the most consistent fish catchers I've made. Originally it was a jig, but I also adapted it to a fly pattern and it was, and still is, one of the most successful fly patterns I've made. It is just killer on trout, smallmouths, crappie, big bluegills, and, unfortunately, interested a few too many carp -trouble on UL tackle. I'd see a big wake coming, and say, "No! no, no , no!" There were quite a few years that I considered myself a "light-tackle jig fisherman" (a la Charlie Brewer), and I invented nearly all the jigs I fished. Good luck with your tying. It certainly created lures, and memories, for me that have stood the test of time.

Yes, and they'll catch just about everything. Bass, trout, panfish, carp, ...

Those would be cake to tie. -Tie in the rubber tails -Wrap saddle hackle butts (the soft marabou-like plumes at the base of saddle hackles) to the lead head. You do not want dry fly quality saddles -too expensive- but the long ones used for streamer flies and jigs. -Tie off (look up "whip finish", or make a series of half-hitches and glue with clear nail polish). Presto! Careful! It's addicting. And you might just come up with something even better.